Recipe Manuscript

Sore Throat

Name: Sore Throat
Prep time: PTPT5M
Cook time: PTPT5M
Yield: 20
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 570 ml verjuice (or substitute: 285 ml tart apple cider vinegar + 285 ml water); 1.7 liters spring or filtered water; 90 ml (85 g) mulberry syrup (or substitute: blackberry or raspberry syrup); 28 g Sal prunella (potassium nitrate; food-grade only); Lemon juice or 2-3 drops citric acid solution (as an alternative to oyl of vitriol/sulfuric acid)

1687

From the treasured pages of Receipt book

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Beginner Drink Other

Original Recipe • 1687

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Sore Throat

"Take of Verjuice one pint, of spring water 3 pints, of Syrup of Mulberries three ounces, of Sal prunella one ounce, oyl of Vitriol, so many drops as will make it tast gratefully, Gargle often with some of it warm. alsoe touch the Lump once a day with a drop of the oyl of Vitrioll on the end of a feather. The Lump is the Pendulus Uvulla &c -"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a terse, instructive style common to early modern manuscript cookery and medicinal books, intended for those already familiar with household preparation. Spellings such as 'oyl of Vitriol' refer to what we now know as sulfuric acid, then extracted from distilling green vitriol (iron(II) sulfate). Measurements pivot on the pint (approx. 570 ml), ounce (28 g or 28 ml by context), and rely on the cook’s judgment (‘so many drops as will make it tast gratefully’). The term 'Lump' refers colloquially to the uvula—part of the throat often swollen in illness, requiring topical application in historical practice.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book (1687)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1687

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A charming culinary manuscript from the late 17th century, brimming with recipes that blend hearty tradition and a dash of Restoration-era flair. Perfect for those seeking a taste of historic feasts and flavorful ingenuity.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from England in the late 17th century (c. 1679–1694), a period when household medical remedies were commonplace and relied heavily on natural and mineral-based ingredients. The preparation exemplifies the era’s approach to medicine—using sharp-tasting, astringent ingredients like verjuice and sour syrups to soothe sore throats, along with the application of mild caustics such as diluted acids. Often, recipes such as this were recorded in household books, reflecting a blend of inherited knowledge, practical trial and error, and a deep reliance on both local gardens and apothecaries.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Traditionally, this remedy would be prepared with basic kitchen and apothecary tools: glass or ceramic jugs for measuring and mixing the liquids, a wooden or horn spoon for stirring, and perhaps a mortar and pestle for crushing or measuring out crystalline Sal prunella. For application, a goose or chicken feather—cleaned and trimmed—served as the fine tool for touching the uvula with the acidic preparation. Heating would be done over a hearth in an earthenware or metal pot.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 pint (20 fl oz) verjuice (or substitute: 10 fl oz tart apple cider vinegar + 10 fl oz water)
3 pints (3 1/2 cups) spring or filtered water
3 fl oz (3 oz) mulberry syrup (or substitute: blackberry or raspberry syrup)
1 oz Sal prunella (potassium nitrate; food-grade only)
Lemon juice or 2-3 drops citric acid solution (as an alternative to oyl of vitriol/sulfuric acid)

Instructions

To prepare this sore throat gargle using modern imperial measurements, take 1 pint (20 fl oz) of verjuice (or, if unavailable, a mixture of tart apple or white wine vinegar and water), add 3 pints (3 1/2 cups) of filtered (spring) water, and 3 fl oz (about 3 oz) of mulberry syrup (or substitute with blackberry or raspberry syrup if needed).
Weigh out 1 oz of Sal prunella (potassium nitrate; a modern pharmacy can provide food-grade potassium nitrate) and disolve it into the liquid.
Carefully add oyl of vitriol—modern food-grade dilute sulfuric acid is not available to home cooks, so as a substitute, use a few drops of lemon juice or citric acid until the gargle tastes tart but not unpleasant.
Warm the mixture gently and gargle with it often throughout the day.
For the 'lump', which is the uvula, touch it once daily with a small ammount of the acidic mixture using a cotton swab in place of the historical feather.

Estimated Calories

33 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 5 minutes to get your ingredients ready and about 5 more minutes to warm and mix the gargle. The total recipe makes about 2.4 liters of liquid, enough for around 20 standard 120 ml (1/2 cup) servings. Each serving has around 33 calories, based mostly on the fruit syrup used.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.